Padma Vibhushan Islamic scholar Maulana Wahiduddin Khan passes away at 97; PM Modi condoles

coastaldigest.com news network

April 22, 2021

New Delhi, Apr 22: Islamic scholar Maulana Wahiduddin Khan died on Wednesday, April 21, days after testing positive for the covid-19. He was 97.

Khan was admitted to Delhi's Apollo Hospital on April 12 after being tested positive for the infection, news agency PTI reported quoting family sources.

Born in Azamgarh in 1925, the Maulana was educated at a traditional seminary. A known peacenik who advocated peaceful co-existence and counselled moderation in conduct, he crusaded against extremism and orthodox interpretations of the holy texts. He penned over 200 books, including a commentary and a translation of the Quran in English, Hindi and Urdu. His lectures, many of them available on YouTube, are immensely popular.

Maulana Khan was founder of the Islamic Centre in New Delhi. He had hit the headlines when he gave his ‘peace formula’ for the Babri Masjid-Ramjanambhoomi dispute and asked Muslims to forego their claims on the disputed land in Ayodhya. His request was though rejected by a huge section of his community.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled his death and said the scholar would be remembered for his "insightful knowledge" on theology and spirituality.

"Saddened by the passing away of Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. He will be remembered for his insightful knowledge on matters of theology and spirituality. He was also passionate about community service and social empowerment. Condolences to his family and countless well-wishers. RIP," the PM tweeted.

In January this year, the government had announced that Khan would be awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the country's second-highest civilian award. In 2000, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award.

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Roadblock to Relief: Speaker Khader’s Push to Expand Key NH-66 Stretch from Nanthoor to Talapady

News Network

November 26,2025

Mangaluru, Nov 26: Assembly Speaker and local MLA U.T. Khader has initiated a high-level push to resolve one of Mangaluru’s longest-standing traffic headaches: the narrow, high-density stretch of National Highway-66 between Nanthoor and Talapady.

He announced on Tuesday that a formal proposal has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) seeking approval to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the widening of this crucial corridor.

The plan specifically aims to expand the existing 45-meter road width to a full 60 meters, coupled with the construction of dedicated service roads. Khader highlighted that land for a 60-meter highway was originally acquired during the initial four-laning project, but only 45 meters were developed, leading to a perpetual bottleneck.

"With vehicle density rising sharply, the expansion has become unavoidable," Khader stated, stressing that the upgrade is essential for ensuring smoother traffic flow and improving safety at the city's main entry and exit points.

The stretch between Nanthoor and Talapady is a vital link on the busy Kochi-Panvel coastal highway and connects to major city junctions. The move to utilize the previously acquired land for the full 60-meter width is seen as a necessary measure to catch up with the region's rapid vehicular growth and prevent further traffic gridlocks.

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